If the mountain won’t come to me, then I must go to the mountain.
That was why Song Yao, ignoring the wound on her back, had pushed on and found her way here.
She hadn’t expected to walk in and find Shen Shuangshuang in the middle of a dramatic fainting spell.
Shen Zhenwu, a man built like a fortress, was completely oblivious to such feminine wiles.
His face etched with anxiety, he rushed forward and knelt to check on her.
"Shuangshuang? Shuangshuang? What’s wrong?"
He called her name several times, but there was no reply. He gently slapped her cheeks, but she remained unresponsive.
He sighed, bent down, and prepared to carry her to the hospital.
"Wait a minute!"
Just as his hands reached for her, a sharp voice called out from the doorway.
Shen Zhenwu turned to see Song Yao standing there.
The color drained from Shen Zhenwu’s face. Without a second thought, he left Shen Shuangshuang on the floor and strode toward her.
As he drew closer, he noticed her breathing was shallow and her face was even paler than before.
His voice cracked with urgency.
"Why are you running around? Go back inside! What will you do if your wound reopens and starts bleeding!"
As he spoke, he reached out to support her.
Song Yao raised a hand to stop him.
Then, she tilted her head, pointed to the floor, and asked in a leisurely tone.
"And who might this be? What’s this little drama you’re staging here?"
Aunt Zhang, who was supporting her, quietly gave her a thumbs-up.
’This girl really has some nerve!’
’So bold!’
Shen Zhenwu, however, stammered, his gaze shifting evasively.
"Well... my girl, listen to me. It’s not what you think..."
He repeatedly rubbed his right elbow, all his usual authoritative presence gone.
Song Yao raised an eyebrow, her tone flat.
"Then by all means, explain. I’m listening."
From their exchange, an outsider might think she was the one who called the shots in this family.
Sometimes, a person’s presence is more intimidating than their status.
But the reality of the situation was quite strange.
After all, Shen Shuangshuang was the child they had raised.
The Shen family had personally handled everything for her since she was a child—clothing her, feeding her, taking her to school and to the doctor.
Xiao Li, standing nearby, remained perfectly composed.
’He knew the score.’
’His boss might be a commanding figure in public, but he never called the shots at home.’
’He’d seen it all before.’
Shen Zhenwu scratched the back of his head and gave a couple of awkward laughs.
"You were switched with someone back then. Your mother didn’t believe it at all. I thought we could find you after some time, but we never heard anything... so I raised Shuangshuang as my own daughter."
"Over the years, your mother has treated her with genuine affection, doting on her as if she were the most precious thing in the world... But now that you’re back, rest assured, she’ll treat you the same way!"
His voice rose on the last sentence, as if to emphasize his sincerity.
When he finished, Song Yao simply let out a soft, "Mm."
"So, let me get this straight. You want both of us to be your daughters and call you ’Dad’ from now on, Mr. Shen?"
Shen Zhenwu grew anxious at her words and quickly waved his hands in dismissal.
"That’s not what I meant! Shuangshuang doesn’t know anything. She’s an innocent victim in all this, you can’t blame her..."
But Song Yao cut him off coldly before he could finish.
"Mr. Shen, I grew up in a family that only doted on sons. My adoptive parents had a son they treasured above all else. I did all the work in the house, and I only got to eat the leftover soup."
"They never let me go to school. I had to be in the fields weeding before dawn, and it was my job to haul water and chop firewood. My fingers would crack from the cold in the winter, but no one ever gave me a warm coat. When the village handed out relief supplies, they’d put my name down but give everything to my younger brother."
"The year I turned eighteen, they sold me to an old bachelor at the east end of the village for bride price, just to scrape together money for my younger brother to get a wife."
Shen Zhenwu’s chest tightened as he listened, the rims of his eyes instantly turning red.
"My girl... you’ve suffered so much. From this day on, as long as I’m alive, I’ll never let you be wronged again..."
"Don’t be so quick to make promises."
Song Yao raised a hand, and Shen Zhenwu immediately shut his mouth.
She continued.
"I’m done with families that play favorites. I’ll never put myself in that kind of situation again. You say I’m your biological daughter. Does that make it true just because it came out of your mouth? You can’t even produce a golden bracelet for proof. As far as I’m concerned, this is just wishful thinking on your part. I’m not buying it."
"Once my wound heals, you’ll get me my identification papers and a letter of introduction, just like we agreed. The moment I have them, I’m gone."
"No! Absolutely not!"
Hearing that Song Yao truly intended to leave, Shen Zhenwu grew agitated.
"My child, your father has been looking for you for nineteen years! How can you just say you’re leaving?"
The rims of his eyes went red, and his voice trembled uncontrollably.
"You’re my only biological daughter. From the day you were taken away, I haven’t spent a single day free of regret! How could I have lost sight of you? Why wasn’t I guarding you with my life? The thought eats away at me every single day. The regret is gut-wrenching!"
He was a man in a position of power, always carrying himself with an imposing air in front of others.
But now, his current state left even Aunt Zhang dumbfounded.
His back was hunched, his shoulders trembled, and his hands gripped his own thighs tightly.
His lips kept trembling, unable to form a complete sentence.
No one dared to approach and help him.
They could only stand at a distance, murmuring amongst themselves.
Song Yao’s eyelids fluttered; she seemed to be moved for a moment.
But she quickly steeled her gaze, her voice firm.
"No matter what you say, I won’t go back with you. You’ve raised another daughter for almost twenty years, and from the sound of it, your wife treasures her beyond belief. If I were to foolishly go back with you, even if you acknowledge me with your words, you’ve already decided who’s more important in your hearts."
"I’m not going to gamble the rest of my life on whether you’ll treat me fairly. I’ll say it again: I’ve had enough of suffering from parental favoritism, and I refuse to fall into the same trap."
Shen Zhenwu hurriedly wiped his face.
"That won’t happen, my girl! Your father swears it. No one will ever bully you again! Not even her!"
Song Yao didn’t answer. Instead, her gaze shifted to the girl slumped on the floor behind him.
The girl’s hair was disheveled, her face pale, one hand hanging limply at her side.
Song Yao’s tone was laden with meaning.
"Mr. Shen, don’t be so quick with your promises. Words are cheap. Your other daughter has been on the floor for quite some time. Aren’t you going to even glance her way?"
’Shen Shuangshuang, her back to everyone, was seething with rage.’
’She had wanted to make her act more natural to win more sympathy.’
’But Song Yao’s words had been like a needle in her ear, leaving her restless and on edge.’
She heard Shen Zhenwu say to someone beside him.
"Xiao Li, take Shuangshuang to see a doctor. It’s an old ailment of hers. We’re used to it, so there’s no need to panic."
That last sentence was clearly meant for Song Yao.
But to Shen Shuangshuang’s ears, his words sent a chill through her heart.
’So in her father’s eyes, she was nothing more than a "habitual nuisance."’
Xiao Li hesitated.
"Mr. Shen, I’m worried something might happen if the young lady is left unattended."
He looked at the figure on the floor, his brow deeply furrowed.
’Taking her to the hospital now... if someone took a photo and it spread, the fallout would be bad.’
Shen Zhenwu slapped his forehead.
"Yes, yes, you’re right. That was careless of me."
He looked around and finally spotted the security detail he’d brought with him.
He quickly singled one of them out.
"You, over here! Your assignment is now to escort Shen Shuangshuang to the hospital. Do not leave her side without my direct order!"
’Hearing this, Shen Shuangshuang knew she couldn’t keep up the act.’